The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius made by legendary Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari in 1714 sold for $11.3 million (10.9 million €) at an auction in New York on Friday.
The Sotheby’s auction house initially estimated the expected sale value of the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius at between $12 million and $18 million, possibly breaking the previous record when a bidder paid $15.9 million for a Stradivarius more than a decade ago.
The instrument was sold by the New England Conservatory (NEC), with proceeds going towards scholarships, fulfilling the will of a former student of the conservatory, Chinese violinist Si-Hon Ma, who donated the violin to the music school. The auction house said the buyer chose to remain anonymous.
The record-breaking instrument – worth $15.9 million – was made in 1721 and named after Lady Blunt, the granddaughter of British Romantic poet Lord Byron.
